LOS ANGELES (AP) — A wrongful-death lawsuit filed against the Los Angeles Police Department for an officer’s fatal shooting of a 14-year-old girl in a clothing store is set to begin trial Wednesday.
Valentina Orellana-Peralta was shopping for Christmas clothes with her mother at a Burlington store in North Hollywood on December 23, 2021, when she was struck by a bullet that reportedly went through the dressing room wall. Police had responded to calls for help after a man attacking two women with a bike lock entered the store. During the police intervention, Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. fired his weapon multiple times, resulting in Orellana-Peralta's death.
The lawsuit filed by her parents alleges wrongful death and negligence, claiming the LAPD failed to properly train and supervise their officers, leading to a situation where Orellana-Peralta was killed. Her mother, Soledad Peralta, recounted the tragic moment, stating, I felt my daughter’s body go limp and watched helplessly as my daughter died in my arms. This statement underlines the emotional distress caused by the incident.
“Valentina had her entire life in front of her, and it was taken in an instant due to reckless decisions made by the very people who were sworn to protect her,” said Nick Rowley, the family's representative. We intend to hold LAPD fully accountable for taking an innocent young woman’s life.”
The LAPD has not yet commented directly on the lawsuit. The Los Angeles Police Commission previously ruled in 2022 that while Officer Jones was justified in firing initially, the following shots were out of policy. This tragic incident draws a parallel to other high-profile police shooting cases, highlighting ongoing concerns about police accountability and the use of force in the community.
